The popular American Indian Heritage Celebration will take place at North Carolina Museum of History on Saturday, November 23rd, 2019, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This is a free event.
Please note that the Raleigh Christmas Parade is taking place this morning, so there will be some street closures.
Musicians, dancers, artists, storytellers, and authors from North Carolina’s eight state-recognized tribes will gather for this popular family event.
Named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, the 24th Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration offers something for all ages and gives a firsthand opportunity to learn about the state’s American Indian culture (with a population of over 120,000), past and present. Activities include craft demonstrations, hands-on activities, games, foods, and much more.
There is a LOT going on! Scroll down to see the schedule!
Opening and Grand Entry
Bicentennial Plaza
- Host/Emcee: Ricky Burnett (Lumbee) and JD Moore (Waccamaw Siouan)
- Arena Directors: Sharon Berrun (Haliwa-Saponi) and Becky Goins (Lumbee)
- 10:45–11 a.m. Blessing of the Arena and Grounds\
- 11–11:40 a.m. American Indian Flute: Ryan Dial-Stanley (Lumbee); Hand Drum Songs: Magic Gomez (Coharie)
- 11:45 a.m.-Noon Opening Drum Songs; Southern-Style Drum Group: Southern Sun (intertribal); Northern-Style Drum Group: Stoney Creek drum group (intertribal)
- Noon–12:30 p.m. Grand Entry; Roll Call of State-Recognized Tribes/Organizations
- Blessing of the Ceremony: Cheyenne Daniel, Miss Indian NC
- Welcome and Special Recognition: Gregory Richardson (Haliwa-Saponi), executive director, Commission of Indian Affairs; Ken Howard, director, NC Museum of History
- Honor Song
Dance and Music Stage
- 12:30–1 p.m. Southeastern Dances and Rattle Songs (Lumbee)
- 1–1:15 p.m. Iroquois Smoke Dance (Meherrin)
- 1:15–3:15 p.m. Powwow Dances (intertribal)
- 3:30-4:00 p.m. Ancient Harmonies and Traditional Blues: Lakota John (Lumbee)
Demonstrations and Hands-On Activities
Bicentennial Plaza
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Bow-and-Arrow Shooting Range: David Lynch (Haliwa-Saponi)
- *Corncob Darts
- *Blowgun Activity
- Dugout Canoe Burning
- 18th-Century Lifeways: Bark Housing, Finger Weaving, and Cordage: Sandra and Wahlelah Brown (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
- Archaeobotany—The Power of Seeds!: Office of State Archaeology
- *Archaeology Dig Activity: Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
- *Know Your Tribes: interactive mapping activity
Lobby Level
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Drawing and Painting: Mickey Patrick (Waccamaw Siouan)
- Silverwork: Brian Lynch (Haliwa-Saponi)
- Beadwork and Jewelry: Jessica Spaulding Dingle (Waccamaw Siouan)
- Painted Gourds and Beadwork: Valerie Strickland (Lumbee)
- Wampum and Dream Catchers: Julian and Andrea Hunter (Meherrin)
- Flint Knapping/Weapon Making: Rex Harris (Haliwa-Saponi)
- *Three Sisters Garden-to-Go Bags: Shelia Wilson (Sappony)
- Arrowheads: Patrick Stewart (Sappony)
- *Gallery Hunt
- Longhouse Model and Traditional Housing: Arnold Richardson (Haliwa-Saponi)
- *Early American Indian Life Gallery Cart
- Pottery: Joel Queen (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
- Pine-Needle Baskets: Jamie Locklear (Waccamaw Siouan)
- *Coharie Quilters (Coharie)
- Drawing and Painting: Karen Lynch Harley (Haliwa-Saponi)
- Pottery: Senora Lynch (Haliwa-Saponi)
- Shell Carving: Antonio Grant (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
- Pinecone Patchwork Designs: James Malcolm (Lumbee)
- Traditional Southeastern American Indian Clothing and Lifestyle (Meherrin)
- 3-D Artifact Modeling: UNC–CH, Research Laboratories of Archaeology
Third Floor (Level 3)
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Beadwork and Regalia Making: Norma Jean Locklear (Lumbee)
- *Beadwork Patterns
- Bandolier Bags: Ernest Grant (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
- Hunting and Fishing Tools/Foodways: Sharn Jeffries (Occaneechi-Saponi) and Vickie Jeffries (Occaneechi-Saponi)
- Gourd Rattles and Stone Pipes: Henry Lynch (Haliwa-Saponi)
- Screen Printing: Kim Richardson (Haliwa-Saponi)
- *Petroglyphs
- Stone Carving: Freeman Owle (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
- *Seed Jewelry
- Reed Baskets: Cindy Locklear (Lumbee)
- Painting and Jewelry: Angel Guin (Coharie)
- Ribbon Work and Clothing Design: Tabitha Jacobs-Polanco (Lumbee)
- *Cordage: Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site
- *Wheel of American Indian History
- *Jingle Cones
- *Pottery Imprinting
SECU Education Center (Level R)
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Flint Knapping: Marke Locklear (Lumbee)
- Gourds, Punk Horns and Tools: Alvin Evans (Haliwa-Saponi)
- *Southeastern Indian Designs
Exhibits and Displays
Lobby Level
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- The Story of North Carolina: A 2,800-year-old canoe, artifacts from the Tuscarora War, Cherokee baskets, and much more are featured in this permanent museum exhibit.
- The Sappony: History of the High Plains Indian Settlement: Panels show the history of this centuries-old, close-knit Indian community that still calls the northeastern section of Person County, North Carolina, and southeastern section of Halifax County, Virginia, home.
- American Indian Timeline: Panels that wrap around columns in the museum lobby trace North Carolina’s American Indian history throughout time.
Third Floor (Level 3)
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- American Indian Games: Chunkey and Stickball: A small case of artifacts explains two ancient games played by Southeastern Indian tribes.
- Tsalagi and Creation: This soapstone carving by Freeman Owle depicts the Cherokee legend of creation.
Bicentennial Plaza
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- American Indians in the Military: US Army recruiting office
Storytelling and Language
Lobby Level—Demonstration Gallery
- 12:40–1, 2:25–2:45 p.m. Gwen Locklear (Lumbee)
- 1:10–1:30, 2:50–3:10 p.m. Cherokee Conversation and Language Lessons: Freeman Owle and Dr. Ben Frey (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
- 1:35-1:55, 3:15–3:35 p.m. Barbara Locklear (Lumbee)
- 2–2:20, 3:40–4 p.m. Tutelo Language Revival: Dr. Marvin Richardson (Haliwa-Saponi)
Archaeology and History
Longleaf Classroom A
Host: Kay Oxendine ((Haliwa-Saponi), host, Haliwa-Saponi, Author of Storytelling at Marshall’s Encampment and Satches Lagoon, and Editor and Featured writer at Native Hoop Magazine and Buffalo’s Fire
- 1:15–1:45 p.m. Town Creek Indian Mound: Hear plans for the renovation and reinterpretation of this State Historic Site
- 2–2:30 p.m. Native Women in the Southeast Indian Slave Trade: Dr. Jamie Myers Mize, UNC–Pembroke
- 2:45–3:15 p.m. Nikwasi Initiative: Recovery of a Sacred Mound: Barbara McRae and Juanita Wilson, co-chairs, Nikwasi Initiative. The mound will be a part of a cultural corridor of preserved land that will run over 60 miles along the Little Tennessee River.
- 3:30–4 p.m. Making Herstory: Cherokee Women’s Stickball: Dr. Jessica Siegele, UNC–Pembroke
Current Issues and Community Projects
Longleaf Classroom B
Host: Dr. Leslie Locklear (Lumbee), project coordinator, First Americans’ Teacher Education (FATE) grant program and Project ACCESS, UNC–Pembroke
- 1:30–2 p.m. From the Segregated History of Lumbee Indian Education to American Indian Literacy and Reading Education Today: Dr. Heather Kimberly Dial Sellers (Lumbee), director, Reading Education program, UNC–Pembroke
- 2:15–2:45 p.m. Native Art at the Nasher: Marshall N. Price, curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. Join Price for a peek at the Nasher’s current exhibit, Art for a New Understanding: Native Voices, 1950s to Now.
- 3–3:45 p.m. Elders Talking Circle: Sharing Stories about Work and Family Life in the Segregated South: Janice Jones Schroeder (Lumbee), chair, Conference for American Indian Women of Proud Nations
Literature and the Arts
Hosts: Teryn Brewington (Sappony) and Charlene Hunt (Lumbee), program manager, North Carolina American Indian Health Board
Dogwood Classroom
12:45–1:15 p.m. Pop-Up Library: Rebecca Hyman, North Carolina Government and Heritage Library.
- Learn about some of the resources and materials that are focused on American Indians in the state.
1:30–2:15 p.m. Southeast Indian Symbols, Dress, and Historic Body Art: Jamie Oxendine (Lumbee) and Tim Locklear (Lumbee)
- Learn the origin and meanings of some symbols associated with tribes across the southeast with the authors of an educational coloring book titled Southeastern Woodland Designs.
- A book signing follows the presentation.
2:30–3 p.m. The Importance of Place and Kinship in Contemporary Lumbee Art: Dr. Nancy Palm Puchner, UNC–Pembroke
- Explore artworks that encourage viewers to reconsider the fluid nature of Lumbee identity as it challenges antiquated, Eurocentric notions of Indianness and Indian art.
3:15–3:45 p.m. Portraits of Lumbee Indians: A People and a Place: Alisha Locklear Monroe (Lumbee), museum assistant, Native American resource center, Museum of the Southeast American Indian, UNC–Pembroke
Food and Health
Cardinal Classroom
Host: Arvis Boughman, author, teacher, curriculum developer
1:45–2:15 p.m. Herbal Remedies of the Lumbee Indians: Arvis Boughman
2:30–3 p.m. A Taste of Robeson–The Collard Sandwich: Angie Flores and family (Lumbee)
3:15–3:45 p.m. Water Is (Still) Life: Dr. Ryan Emanuel, (Lumbee) associate professor and faculty scholar, North Carolina State University,and Jeff Currie (Lumbee), Lumber Riverkeeper, Waterkeeper Alliance
- Get an update on water- and health-related projects in indigenous communities.
Bicentennial Plaza
11 a.m.–4 p.m. Food Vendors:
- C & J Smack Your Lips food truck (Coharie)
- Mills on Wheels food truck (Haliwa-Saponi)
- Sappony Salsa (Sappony)
- Sweet Tea & Cornbread, museum restaurant
- Tacos VS Collards food truck (Lumbee)
- Wake County Indian Education Program (intertribal)
Organizations and Information
Lobby Level
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Food Lion
- North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs
- North Carolina Museum of History Associates
- Red Hat Inc.
- WellCare Health Plans Inc
SECU Education Center (Level R)
11 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Conference for American Indian Women of Proud Nations
- Healthy Blue, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
- Lumbee Tribe
- North Carolina American Indian Health Board
- North Carolina Tobacco Prevention and Control
- North Carolina Government and Heritage Library
- UNC–Pembroke, Southeast Indian Studies program
Bicentennial Plaza
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Alpha Chapter of the Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc.
- Grand Council of Sigma Omicron Epsilon Inc.
- North Carolina Native American Youth Organization (NCNAYO)
- North Carolina Department of Transportation
- US Census Bureau
You might also be interested in:
